Cause and Effect
by dewdrops and crowns
Summary: Seven years, a whole bunch of conflicting thoughts and one kiss. For Estoma.


**Happy birthday estoma, you're so old haha! Anyway I hope you like this and it isn't too awful. Thank you for being a generally amazing person xx**

* * *

(thoughts lead to words)

People are very different. Ron Weasley thinks one evening as he sits gazing out the window into the darkening clouds, which will probably soon begin to pour with rain. Though Ron isn't the type of person to usually notice details he did think people were quite like clouds, they're quite a lot of different shapes and sizes but in the end you can sort them out. That had been his philosophy for quite some time, but now he's finding it harder and harder to apply labels. There are some people who are quite easy; Ginny for instance is and will always be his sister, and whether she likes it or not he will always protect her. Harry's special, he's famous, he's the chosen one – he is most importantly Ron's best friend. Then there's Hermione.

Hermione attaches so many labels to herself that it quite often leaves his head spinning. Hermione makes him think and also really not think at all. Hermione makes his heart beat much too fast, sometimes in anger and sometimes from something else. They bicker and they quite honestly flirt a bit too. They smile and they scowl. Shake fists and hug. Laugh and cry. Longing, and irritation, and friendship, and admiration and every feeling he can possibly allow his mind to come across and it all just seems to apply to Hermione.

The rain begins to fall and abruptly Ron realises he's been sitting here, thinking for far too long a time for a boy of his age. He gets up, stretching slightly to relieve the cramps from his body, and journeys down to the common room to challenge someone to a game of wizard chess. However Ron's lengthy thoughts about Hermione are far from over.

**.**

Ron really does have a rather nice bottom. Hermione thinks, for not the first time that day, or even month or actually year. She supposes that when having a crush on one of your best friends these sorts of thoughts are bound to occur and you have to learn to get used to them. Hermione has been trying for quite some time now to sort out her feelings towards Ron, who she's pretty sure doesn't return the sentiment. This means any idea of a relationship was out the window, along with the fact that Ron was often an immature twit and she's sure if they went out their friendship would be destroyed, beyond repair this time.

So she keeps her feelings tucked away, because being friends with Ron is actually really nice. She didn't get to kiss him, but she did get to laugh herself silly, poke fun at him, blow off steam, worry about Harry together and see his awkwardly caring gestures. He buys her a quill every time he goes to Hogsmeade, he offers to carry books, he glares at people who whisper about her and he laughs at jokes she makes which are the opposite of funny. Yes, there are so many things wrong with Ron but about a million things that are perfect.

It was that at that moment though that Ron would choose to disrupt Hermione's daydream. With a mouth full of food he manages to get her attention.

"'Mione!"

"Don't speak with your mouthful." Hermione admonishes automatically. He swallows quickly, before continuing.

"Are you going to eat your potatoes?"

Hermione rolls her eyes and wonders, not for the first time that day, month or year why her teenage body decided to develop feelings for this moron.

(words lead to actions)

Ron looks into the mirror and tells himself that today is the day. Today is the day he will tell Hermione how he feels. Never mind that he tells himself that every day. Or that he's not entirely sure what his feelings actually are. He should try and make some effort. And isn't it supposed to be the boys who tell the girls what's going on, and ask them on a date? Yes, Ron will live up to his house qualities and get the bravery to tell a girl that he likes her and wouldn't mind a date and preferably a snog.

Today was pretty special too – a Quidditch match day, to be precise. He's been awful in the last few matches and he's determined to do well and turn things around and stop being in people's shadows. He just has to ignore the voice in his head that tells him he would fail. Like he always does. No, today he will save every single goal and then afterwards he will sweep Hermione off her feet and say some cool sounding stuff and she'll be speechless for once and then -

There was just the problem that she would say no and their friendship would die.

When did he become such a pessimist? It's not like he's Harry and actually has the weight of the Wizarding world resting on his shoulders. Just take it one goal at a time, he tells himself as he exits the bathroom.

Later Ron finds himself taking the easy way out. He doesn't go for the girl who amazes him like no other. He goes for the alternative, who clings onto his every word without properly listening, where nothing is complicated. Some shallow part of him sees it as revenge, Hermione's snogged Krum and now he has Lavender. Another part of him, which may be even shallower, thinks of Lavender as a practice Hermione, so he doesn't screw up the real thing.

He's already screwed that up though.

**.**

Fall. Fall. Fall. And try to stay upright on the way down. That's what Hermione seems to be doing of late; balancing on a tightrope that she's already fallen off. Seeing Ron with Lavender doesn't just make her feel ill on sight, it makes her feel ill all the time. She can't eat properly; her stomach just twists and turns. She can't sleep well; her thoughts are just plagued with Ron. She's even finding it hard to concentrate in class. She needs to get a grip and move on and she wishes there was a potion or a spell, but apparently you can't cure heartbreak with magic, you have to do it yourself. There's a problem Hermione can't fix with a book or her wand and it frustrates her to no end.

So she does all she can think of, and she ignores him and hopes he misses her half as much as she misses him.

(actions lead to consequences)

Whilst Ron is in the hospital wing, he spends a lot of time thinking. He thinks of the fight they had where Hermione attacked him with the canaries, which really rather hurt. At the time he was just angry with her, after all he could get a girlfriend if he wanted, didn't mean Hermione had to round on him. Afterwards it had hurt because he knew he might have lost her. And whilst Hermione frustrated him the more he was away from her the more he realised how much he depended on her and without her, well, life just wasn't as good without Hermione Granger.

After Christmas he decided his sulk fest was over, he would do the grown up thing and apologise. Lavender was starting to annoy him, and the 'My Sweetheart' necklace was being used at every opportunity by his family to have a dig at him. If he wasn't so terrified of her reaction he might have dumped her. Yes, Hermione was more important than the trivial matter of him and Lavender, he was sure if he just said sorry and ignored his pride and tried to explain they could work it out. They always had before, right?

When she ignored him he had felt angry all over again. Then just emptiness. Every time they fought they'd exchange harsh words and yell, never before had it been this icy, indifferent silence. He was such an idiot. Losing Hermione for Lavender Brown, of all people.

But now he's in the hospital wing, and he's strangely very happy that he was poisoned. Hermione visits every day and they're getting along again. When she ran into the room, her hair everywhere and tears in her eyes Ron couldn't believe it was all for him, he knows Hermione cares, but to see it in action after all those months of nothing twisted something inside of him. If he had been strong enough to walk he would of ran to her and kissed her right then. He guesses it was probably a good thing he couldn't.

**.**

His lips are on hers, and all she can think is _finally_. She's waited for seven years but it feels more like an infinity, and his lips are so soft against hers and taste faintly of blood, and they both are dirty and smell disgusting. But she doesn't care because Ron Weasley is kissing her and everything is amazingly beautiful.

Harry interrupts them, and usually she would feel embarrassed but the euphoria hasn't worn off and she hopes it really never will.

Ron smiles at her, and she smiles back. And she can almost hear the page turn, a chapter in their lives closes and a new one opens.

If they don't die first that is.

(consequences are moments)

They sit together, because that's what they truly are for once. No conflicting feelings and separate thoughts that neither dare say for fear of the other's response. It's all out there, and it feels good. Hermione's hand fits in Ron's and no words need to be said when they see the sun rise over the battle worn Hogwarts. Both in that moment are full of loss and sadness, yes. But they also see for the first time in a while hope. Oh it is a dangerous thing to feel, but when you have someone who wants to hold your hand forever it doesn't seem too unlikely.


End file.
